Revised Literal Translation

Jeremiah 12

1Righteousצַדִּ֤יקtza.DikH6662artthou, O Yhwhיְהוָ֔הYah.wehH3068,when I pleadאָרִ֖יב'a.RivH7378with thee: yet let me talkאֲדַבֵּ֣ר'a.da.BerH1696with thee of thyjudgmentsמִשְׁפָּטִים֙mish.pa.TimH4941:Wherefore doth the wayדֶּ֤רֶךְDe.rekhH1870of the wickedרְשָׁעִים֙re.sha.'ImH7563prosperצָלֵ֔חָהtza.Le.chahH6743? whereforeare all they happyשָׁל֖וּsha.LuH7951that deal veryבָֽגֶד׃Va.gedH899treacherouslyבֹּ֥גְדֵיBo.ge.deiH898?

2Thou hast plantedנְטַעְתָּם֙ne.ta'.TamH5193them, yea, they have taken rootשֹׁרָ֔שׁוּsho.Ra.shuH8327:they growH3212,yea, they bring forthעָ֣שׂוּ'A.suH6213fruitפֶ֑רִיFe.riH6529: thou artnearקָר֤וֹבka.RovH7138in their mouthבְּפִיהֶ֔םbe.fi.HemH6310,and far fromוְרָח֖וֹקve.ra.ChokH7350their reinsמִכִּלְיוֹתֵיהֶֽם׃mi.kil.yo.tei.HemH3629.

3But thou, O Yhwhיְהוָה֙Yah.wehH3068,knowestיְדַעְתָּ֔נִיye.da'.Ta.niH3045me: thou hast seenתִּרְאֵ֕נִיtir.'E.niH7200me, and triedוּבָחַנְתָּ֥u.va.chan.TaH974mine heartלִבִּ֖יli.BiH3820toward thee: pull them outהַתִּקֵם֙ha.ti.KemH5423like sheepכְּצֹ֣אןke.TzonH6629for the slaughterלְטִבְחָ֔הle.tiv.ChahH2878,and prepareוְהַקְדִּשֵׁ֖םve.hak.di.ShemH6942them for the dayלְי֥וֹםle.YomH3117of slaughterהֲרֵגָֽה׃ סha.re.GahH2028.

4How long shall the landהָאָ֔רֶץha.'A.retzH776mournתֶּאֱבַ֣לte.'e.ValH56,and the herbsוְעֵ֥שֶׂבve.'E.sevH6212of every fieldהַשָּׂדֶ֖הha.sa.DehH7704witherיִיבָ֑שׁyi.VashH3001,for the wickednessמֵרָעַ֣תme.ra.'AtH7451of them that dwellיֹֽשְׁבֵי־yo.she.vei-H3427therein? the beastsבְהֵמוֹת֙ve.he.mOtH929are consumedסָפְתָ֤הsa.fe.TahH5595,and the birdsוָע֔וֹףva.'ofH5775;because they saidאָמְר֔וּ'a.me.RuH559,He shall not seeיִרְאֶ֖הyir.'EhH7200our last endאַחֲרִיתֵֽנוּ׃'a.cha.ri.Te.nuH319.

5If thou hast runרַ֙צְתָּה֙ratz.tahH7323with the footmenרַגְלִ֥ים׀rag.LimH7273,and they have weariedוַיַּלְא֔וּךָvai.yal.'U.khaH3811thee, then how canst thou contendתְּתַֽחֲרֶ֖הte.ta.cha.RehH8474with horsesהַסּוּסִ֑יםha.su.SimH5483? and ifin the landוּבְאֶ֤רֶץu.ve.'E.retzH776of peaceשָׁלוֹם֙sha.lOmH7965, whereinthou trustedstבוֹטֵ֔חַvo.Te.achH982, they wearied thee,then how wilt thou doתַּעֲשֶׂ֖הta.'a.SehH6213in the swellingבִּגְא֥וֹןbig.'onH1347of Jordanהַיַּרְדֵּֽן׃hai.yar.DenH3383?

6For even thy brethrenאַחֶ֣יךָ'a.Chei.khaH251,and the houseוּבֵית־u.veit-H1004of thy fatherאָבִ֗יךָ'a.Vi.khaH1,even they have dealt treacherouslyבָּ֣גְדוּBa.ge.duH898with thee; yea, they have calledקָרְא֥וּka.re.'UH7121a multitudeמָלֵ֑אma.Le'H4392afterאַחֲרֶ֖יךָ'a.cha.Rei.khaH310thee: believeתַּאֲמֵ֣ןta.'a.MenH539them not, though they speakיְדַבְּר֥וּye.da.be.RuH1696fair wordsטוֹבֽוֹת׃ סto.VotH2896unto thee.

7I have forsakenעָזַ֙בְתִּי֙'a.Zav.tiH5800mine houseבֵּיתִ֔יbei.TiH1004,I have leftנָטַ֖שְׁתִּיna.Tash.tiH5203mine heritageנַחֲלָתִ֑יna.cha.la.TiH5159;I have givenנָתַ֛תִּיna.Ta.tiH5414the dearly belovedיְדִד֥וּתye.di.DutH3033of my soulנַפְשִׁ֖יnaf.ShiH5315into the handבְּכַ֥ףbe.KhafH3709of her enemiesאֹיְבֶֽיהָ׃'o.ye.Vei.haH341.

8Mine heritageנַחֲלָתִ֖יna.cha.la.TiH5159is unto me as a lionכְּאַרְיֵ֣הke.'ar.YehH738in the forestבַיָּ֑עַרvai.Ya.'arH3293;it crieth outנָתְנָ֥ה בְּקוֹלָ֖הּna.te.Nah be.ko.LahH6963 H5414against me: therefore have I hatedשְׂנֵאתִֽיהָ׃se.ne.Ti.haH8130it.

9Mine heritageנַחֲלָתִי֙na.cha.la.TiH5159is unto me asa speckledצָב֤וּעַtza.Vu.a'H6641birdהַעַ֨יִטha.'A.yitH5861,the birdsהַעַ֖יִטha.'A.yitH5861round aboutסָבִ֣יבsa.VivH5439areagainst her; comeH3212ye, assembleאִסְפ֛וּ'is.FuH622all the beastsחַיַּ֥תchai.YatH2416of the fieldהַשָּׂדֶ֖הha.sa.DehH7704,comeהֵתָ֥יוּhe.Ta.yuH857to devourלְאָכְלָֽה׃le.'okh.LahH402.

10Manyרַבִּים֙ra.BimH7227pastorsרֹעִ֤יםro.'ImH7462have destroyedשִֽׁחֲת֣וּshi.cha.TuH7843my vineyardכַרְמִ֔יkhar.MiH3754,they have troddenבֹּסְס֖וּbo.se.SuH947my portionחֶלְקָתִ֑יchel.ka.TiH2513under footH947,they have madeנָֽתְנ֛וּna.te.NuH5414my pleasantחֶמְדָּתִ֖יchem.da.TiH2532portionחֶלְקַ֥תchel.KatH2513a desolateשְׁמָמָֽה׃she.ma.MahH8077wildernessלְמִדְבַּ֥רle.mid.BarH4057.

11They have madeשָׂמָהּ֙sa.MahH7760it desolateלִשְׁמָמָ֔הlish.ma.MahH8076, and beingdesolateשְׁמֵמָ֑הshe.me.MahH8077it mournethאָבְלָ֥ה'a.ve.LahH56unto me; the whole landהָאָ֔רֶץha.'A.retzH776is made desolateנָשַׁ֙מָּה֙na.Sha.mahH8074,because no manאִ֖ישׁ'ishH376layethשָׂ֥םsamH7760itto heartלֵֽב׃LevH3820.

12The spoilersשֹֽׁדְדִ֔יםsho.de.DimH7703are comeבָּ֚אוּBa.'uH935upon all high placesשְׁפָיִ֣םshe.fa.YimH8205through the wildernessבַּמִּדְבָּ֗רba.mid.BarH4057:for the swordחֶ֤רֶבChe.revH2719of Yhwhלַֽיהוָה֙la.Yah.wehH3068shall devourאֹֽכְלָ֔ה'o.khe.LahH398from the oneendמִקְצֵה־mik.tzeh-H7097of the landאֶ֖רֶץ'E.retzH776even to the otherendקְצֵ֣הke.TzehH7097of the landהָאָ֑רֶץha.'A.retzH776:no fleshבָּשָֽׂר׃ סba.SarH1320shall have peaceשָׁל֖וֹםsha.LomH7965.

13They have sownזָרְע֤וּza.re.'UH2232wheatחִטִּים֙chi.TimH2406,but shall reapקָצָ֔רוּka.Tza.ruH7114thornsוְקֹצִ֣יםve.ko.TzimH6975:they have put themselves to painנֶחְל֖וּnech.LuH2470, butshall not profitיוֹעִ֑לוּyo.'I.luH3276:and they shall be ashamedוּבֹ֙שׁוּ֙u.Vo.shuH954of your revenuesמִתְּבוּאֹ֣תֵיכֶ֔םmi.te.vu.'O.tei.KhemH8393because of the fierceמֵחֲר֖וֹןme.cha.RonH2740angerאַף־'af-H639of Yhwhיְהוָֽה׃ סYah.wehH3068.

14Thus saithאָמַ֣ר'a.MarH559Yhwhיְהוָ֗הYah.wehH3068against all mine evilהָֽרָעִ֔יםha.ra.'ImH7451neighboursשְׁכֵנַי֙she.khe.NaiH7934,that touchהַנֹּֽגְעִים֙ha.no.ge.'ImH5060the inheritanceבַּֽנַּחֲלָ֔הba.na.cha.LahH5159which I have caused my peopleעַמִּ֖י'a.MiH5971Israelיִשְׂרָאֵ֑לYis.ra.'ElH3478to inheritהִנְחַ֥לְתִּיhin.Chal.tiH5157;Behold, I will pluck them outנֹֽתְשָׁם֙no.te.ShamH5428of their landאַדְמָתָ֔ם'ad.ma.TamH127,and pluck outאֶתּ֥וֹשׁ'e.To.oshH5428the houseבֵּ֥יתbeitH1004of Judahיְהוּדָ֖הye.hu.DahH3063from amongמִתּוֹכָֽם׃mi.to.KhamH8432them.

15And it shall come to pass, afterאַֽחֲרֵי֙'a.cha.ReiH310that I have plucked them outנָתְשִׁ֣יna.te.ShiH5428I will returnאָשׁ֖וּב'a.ShuvH7725,and have compassionוְרִֽחַמְתִּ֑יםve.ri.cham.TimH7355on them, and will bring them againוַהֲשִׁבֹתִ֛יםva.ha.shi.vo.TimH7725,every manאִ֥ישׁ'ishH376to his heritageלְנַחֲלָת֖וֹle.na.cha.la.ToH5159,and every manוְאִ֥ישׁve.'IshH376to his landלְאַרְצֽוֹ׃le.'ar.TzoH776.

16And it shall come to pass, if they will diligentlyלָמֹ֣דla.ModH3925learnיִלְמְדוּ֩yil.me.DuH3925the waysדַּֽרְכֵ֨יdar.KheiH1870of my peopleעַמִּ֜י'a.MiH5971,to swearלְהִשָּׁבֵ֤עַle.hi.sha.Ve.a'H7650by my nameבִּשְׁמִי֙bish.MiH8034,Yhwhיְהוָ֔הYah.wehH3068livethחַי־chai-H2416;as they taughtלִמְּדוּ֙li.me.DuH3925my peopleעַמִּ֔י'a.MiH5971to swearלְהִשָּׁבֵ֖עַle.hi.sha.Ve.a'H7650by Baalבַּבָּ֑עַלba.Ba.'alH1168;then shall they be builtוְנִבְנ֖וּve.niv.NuH1129in the midstבְּת֥וֹךְbe.TokhH8432of my peopleעַמִּֽי׃'a.MiH5971.

17But if they will not obeyיִשְׁמָ֑עוּyish.Ma.'uH8085,I will utterlyוְנָ֨תַשְׁתִּ֜יve.Na.tash.TiH5428pluck upנָת֥וֹשׁna.To.oshH5428and destroyוְאַבֵּ֖דve.'a.BedH6that nationהַגּ֥וֹיha.GoyH1471,saithנְאֻם־ne.'um-H5002Yhwhיְהוָֽה׃ סYah.wehH3068.

Commentaries on Jeremiah 12